The good news for the New York Rangers is that Ryan Callahan‘s recovering well from shoulder surgery.

The bad news? He’s still slated to miss the start of next season.

That’s what the Rangers captain told reporters at Team USA’s Olympic orientation camp in Virgina, explaining his availability for New York’s season-opening game on Oct. 3 is in doubt.

“That’s definitely in question,” he said, as per NorthJersey.com. “Like I said, I can’t tell you exactly when I’m going to be ready, but as it comes closer, we’ll know more.”

As per Newsday, Callahan confirmed there’s been no setbacks from his surgery (in mid-May) to repair a torn labrum. The injury was quite severe — Rangers GM Glen Sather estimated Callahan separated the shoulder “eight or nine times” last season — so it’s not surprising to hear both Callahan and the club are taking a cautious approach to his comeback.

“I plan on starting training camp just the same as everybody else, obviously with no contact, though,” he explained. “I’ll be skating, shooting and things like that.

As a Devils fan I actually love Callahan. You wonder if he’s going to play himself into early retirement eventually with his style of play though. I hope not, but if he’s going to insist on playing through injuries and reaggravating the same injury multiple times in a season, it will catch up to him.